Sometimes, I forget to thank the people who make my life so happy in so many ways. Sometimes, I forget to tell them how much I really do appreciate them for being an important part of my life. Today is just another day, nothing special going on. So thank you, all of you, just for being here for me!

2015-08-08

5 Sales Skills That Are Transferrable To Everyday Life

Every
single one of us is a salesperson. If you don’t work in sales, you
might think you don’t sell, but that is undoubtedly false. The fact is,
each one of us sells every single day.
The great thing about sales is that is a universal skill. The skill
of selling in one industry can be transferred to another with relative
ease. The methodology behind the sales process might change, but the
fundamental skill remains the same.
While many sales professionals understand that selling skills are
transferable from one industry or job to the next, what’s less intuitive
is that sales skills are transferrable from one’s professional life to
personal life. Sure, most of us won’t find ourselves booking a demo at
the dinner table or logging our favorite restaurants into a CRM.
However, there are a surprising number of sales skills that are
relevant to your life outside the office.
Let’s take a look at five of them now.

1) Building Rapport

Building rapport is a crucial part of every sales call. Without
rapport, it is nearly impossible to create a connection with the
prospect. Keep in mind that prospects do not want to feel like they are
being sold to. While they understand that their conversation with a
sales rep is part of a sales call, they will be incredibly guarded if a
connection is not established.
So how can a sales rep build rapport? Simply find a point of
commonality (perhaps on a prospect’s LinkedIn profile or website) and
then explore that point.
This same skill is applicable to meeting new people in everyday life.
Skipping the rapport-building step in networking is the equivalent of
walking up to someone you just met and shouting in his or her face,
“Please like me!!” The person will most likely turn around and sprint in
the opposite direction.
If you really want to connect with someone, find a point of
commonality. The only problem is that people don’t walk around with
their LinkedIn profile stamped on their foreheads. Try asking general
questions about interests and background. From there, hone in on a point
of interest that will establish trust and foster a connection.

2) Active Listening

To the vast majority, salespeople are loud, ostentatious people who
know all the right things to say and talk faster than you can think. But
for those who have worked in sales, you know this stereotype could not
be farther from the truth. In fact, some of the best salespeople are
fairly quiet types.
The best reps follow the “80/20 rule,” meaning they let the prospect
talk for 80% of the conversation while they only speak for 20% of the
time. During the 80%, the rep is listening intently and noting
conversational points to emphasize later.
This same skill should be applied to everyday conversation. Have you
ever had a super talkative friend that when you spoke to him you thought
to yourself, “I really like when he cuts me off and hogs the entire
conversation”? Neither have I, which is why it’s important to let the
person you’re conversing with speak as much as possible. Listen for
interesting tidbits to follow up on. I guarantee you will have much more
engaging interactions.

3) Asking the Right Questions

It might seem like you are letting the prospect dominate the
conversation if you remain silent for 80% of the time. However, the best
sales reps know they can maintain control of the call simply by asking a
few, brief, targeted questions. By asking the next logical question,
the rep always knows the direction the conversation is moving in and can
control its outcome.
This same skill is very applicable to everyday conversation. In How to Win Friends and Influence People,
Dale Carnegie writes, “Many [people] call a doctor when all they want
is an audience.” The best thing you can do for someone is listen to
them. By actively listening to the person you are speaking with rather
than interrupting them you truly can connect with them. Then by
following up with logical, relevant questions you can dictate the
direction of the conversation while barely saying anything at all.

4) Objection Handling

Objection handling, the ability to effectively respond to and quell a
buyer’s criticism or doubt, is a core sales skill. Almost every
prospect has an objection. It is rare for a rep to call someone who has
no objections at all. Reps need to be able to acknowledge and diffuse
objections to eventually reach the point where the prospect wants to
become a customer.
Much like in sales, objection handling is an incredibly important
skill in everyday life. You will run into objections everywhere you go.
People will take it upon themselves to object to your propositions,
actions, and decisions no matter what. If you don’t know how to handle
them, you will never get your way.
Without these ever-so-important objection-handling skills your agenda
will always be pushed to the side. Best to take a cue from salespeople,
and think of all potential argument-killing criticisms or questions and
strategize responses before your presentation or proposal.

5) Goal Setting

Whether it be chasing down a monthly quota or pushing to make 100
dials in a day, every salesperson practices goal setting. Some are
long-term while others are short-term. Salespeople are masters at
motivating themselves based on self-defined and organizational goals.
In order to be more productive not only in your professional but also
your personal life, start by setting some short-term goals for
yourself. This could be anything from going to the gym later today to
having dinner with the family the rest of the week.
The specific goals can vary. What’s important is that you learn to
stick to them. By establishing patterns you will become more productive
and positive, and these traits will extend to all areas of your life.
Your professional life can feel very distinct from your life outside
the office. Some people even find that their professional lives
overwhelm their personal lives. However, understanding that many of the
skills you use in your job can be applied to everyday life’s challenges
will positively influence your day-to-day well-being. Implement these
five core sales skills in particular to become more successful in all
the things you do.